The Navionics charts now have port to port routing which is selectable with Raymarine Lighthouse version 17. Has anyone used these yet? Is it worth switching to Navionics charts?

A relative had it on his ipad. I entered a 35 mile trip from my dock to the storage yard. It was mostly correct except where the route wound through a typical SWFL canal community where it drew the path across dead end canals. Looked pretty good but only with a critical eye.

We have been using it for this trip, now on day 76, and it is now our primary chart plotter. With an IPad and a conversion cord it is hooked to the 19inch monitor. Sit back and let it do its thing. Awesome software!

Can't comment on the auto-routing with the Navionics charts on Raymarine, but I've used that feature of the app and it's been awesome so far. I find it's really useful when I'm planning an trip to somewhere I'm not too familiar with -- gives warnings when the route goes through shallower waters and generally follows marked channels. Just make sure you set your draft properly or you'll get some errors (i.e. no routes found or through really shallow areas).

I tried it out the other day. I was in my slip at Sunroad Marina and I put the starting way point at my slip and the finish way point at Catalina Island. It created a course line from the slip up the bay, through the channel, turned right (through all the kelp) and beelined for Catalina. I then manually moved the way points than ran through the kelp, farther west before turning on a direct course to Catalina. I thought it was neat! I then zoomed in close to follow the course line looking for shallow water and rocks. It works in Lighthouse charts as well!

I have been using it here in Australia, on my Raymarine e125s. I reckon it's great. Two comments. First, Marty is right, you need to check the route it chooses. Secondly - and this slightly a comment about me - it chooses routes which are more "ambitious" than I would sometimes choose. So if offshore I might go around a small island offshore just for caution, whereas 'dock to dock' will take me between the island and the mainland (over sufficient depths and so all fine, just not as cautious as I would be). I recommend it, I have found it good. Hamish.

A relative had it on his ipad. I entered a 35 mile trip from my dock to the storage yard. It was mostly correct except where the route wound through a typical SWFL canal community where it drew the path across dead end canals. Looked pretty good but only with a critical eye.

This is another example of the progression of marine electronics and of moderately priced systems picking up features of more expensive systems in commercial use. We've used those functions on Transas systems for some time and the first time we used it our thoughts were why don't all systems have them. Well, we knew the answer was price, but great to see other systems with the functions. Reminds me of GPS in your cars. At first it was luxury cars and/or very expensive systems to be purchased. Many had an ongoing monthly charge. Then I think it was something like $10 a month on your phone. Then it was free with premium options at extra cost. Then free. Ultimately the cost is the information being fed into the system. On the road it's now things like traffic and detours and changes. In the water it's changes in channels and obstructions. Just not the volume of users on the water so the fact it's available so reasonably amazes me still.

TF should be a source of safety as well as presumed electronic enlightenment. Don't forget the impact of common sense and experience. Things like tides, currents, wind, waves, visuals (logs), AIS and radar targets, kayak traffic and visibility dictate route planning.

Just because a gizmo can draw lines doesn't mean a safe course has been entered. Dhays avatar of a high and dry vessel is a good reminder of consequences. Or how about the US navy ship that recently steamed through a coral reef park due to misreading computerized scaled charts. Charting related mishaps abound for the big guys and small fry alike.

Now, my favorites are the satellite images that become placemats. With a set of dividers I can plan my routes while eating a pastry. Voila, no crumbs or jelly on the screen or keyboard. Much easier cleanup than my iPad, just rinse it off.

TF should be a source of safety as well as presumed electronic enlightenment. Don't forget the impact of common sense and experience. Things like tides, currents, wind, waves, visuals (logs), AIS and radar targets, kayak traffic and visibility dictate route planning.

Just because a gizmo can draw lines doesn't mean a safe course has been entered. Dhays avatar of a high and dry vessel is a good reminder of consequences. Or how about the US navy ship that recently steamed through a coral reef park due to misreading computerized scaled charts. Charting related mishaps abound for the big guys and small fry alike.

Now, my favorites are the satellite images that become placemats. With a set of dividers I can plan my routes while eating a pastry. Voila, no crumbs or jelly on the screen or keyboard. Much easier cleanup than my iPad, just rinse it off.

Technology isn't contrary to safety. In fact, it provides more time to concern oneself with safety. Let a system give you a route and then you consider all the other issues as opposed to spending your time doing the basic routing. They are tools to assist you. Safety and technology are not exclusive of each other. "Presumed electronic enlightenment?" What kind of comment is that. It's not enlightenment, it's a tool to assist you. One I'm sure you've never used but immediately object to because it's something new and electronic. Do you object equally to autopilots? I'm sure to electronic charts even those that are direct copies of paper.

Oh and the systems like Transas can work with currents and tides. The other things you mention are not part of route planning. I can't plan based on kayak traffic that might be there tomorrow. I plan and then I observe and make corrections based on the kayak that's on my route.

People have misread charts on paper since the beginning of time. People screw up, but then wouldn't that be an argument for making it all computer controlled and robotic? To my way of thinking the combination of technology and individual skills is the best approach. I'm not suggesting eliminating the people, but I sure embrace the tools available for their use.

I just don't like the implication that somehow computerized route planning is in conflict with safety and promoting it is unsafe.

Computerized route PLANNING is just that. Not a lot of difference than planning on a chart, then tweaking it for all sorts of reasons that come up as you look at it more closely or last minute changes such as weather or firing ranges going live.

I don't think it was ever meant to be just hit the plan button then hit the autopilot track button......not without a careful review/look ahead any more than following a bunch of way points your best friend gave you.

I don't think it was ever meant to be just hit the plan button then hit the autopilot track button......not without a careful review/look ahead any more than following a bunch of way points your best friend gave you.

Charting experts like Ben Ellison and Peter Swanson have been talking for many years about hard wired chart plotting routes and how they have led to vessels making the same point turns and having close calls or collisions with others doing the same.

Like avoiding logs and other collision potential events, locking the AP onto an armada fleet pre-planned route has its hazards - easily mitigated by an astute skipper.

One of the many feeble defenses the union supported BC ferry helmsman offered up as to why his vessel struck a rock just south of Grenville channel was the ship was locked onto the route laid out by BC management in the head office. The vessel went down in about 300 feet of water and the dramatic rescue of passengers and crew a recent story of heroism.

Do have to say that lining up a marker that is beyond your seeing ability is nice with Navionics. It updates several times a week for me and I don't have to purchase additional updates on the iPad version. I think I recall Navionics being under fifty bucks. Coupled with a handheld receiver, it is accurate to within a few feet.